Gem County Sheriff's deputies say 18-year-old Devin Morgan of Sweet was traveling northbound on the highway Saturday morning in a Ford truck when his trailer loaded with irrigation pipe disconnected from his truck.

David Coburn was traveling southbound on the highway in a Ford F-350 pickup when he hit the disconnected trailer.

Deputies say Coburn then lost control of his truck and went off the road down a 25-foot embankment and into a creek.

One witness to the crash jumped in the creek and tried to rescue the family.

"There were people there very quickly, and I know that there were attempts made, but the water is fairly deep and it's moving hard," said ISP Sgt. Gordon Dye.

The temperature of the water was between 30 and 40 degrees.

David Coburn was pronounced dead at the scene.

His three daughters were taken to area hospitals, but four-year-old Ellie Coburn and eight-year-old Kaitlyn Coburn were later pronounced dead.

Morgan and his young passenger were not hurt.

The accident is still under investigation

Once Idaho State Police are done with their investigation, it will be forwarded to the Gem County Prosecutor's Office for review and any decisions about criminal charges.

Police say there is no indication that alcohol or drugs were a factor in this crash.

EMMETT, Idaho (AP) - The Idaho State Police says an Emmett man and two daughters died in a freak accident near Sweet in Gem County.

The ISP says 38-year-old David Coburn died after swerving to avoid a pipe trailer that veered into his lane on the Sweet-Ola Highway on Saturday. Coburn lost control of the pickup, which tumbled down a 25-foot embankment into a creek.

Coburn's daughters, 8-year-old Kaitlyn and 4-year-old Ellie, died later at hospitals.

A third child, 6-year-old Taylor Coburn, was in critical condition at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Father, 2 girls die in crash into stream

GEM COUNTY — An Emmett man and two daughters died in a freak traffic accident near Sweet on Saturday.

David Coburn, 38, and the two children suffered fatal injuries; a third child — Taylor Coburn, 6 — was in critical condition at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center. Coburn’s daughters were taken to hospitals for treatment after the crash, but Idaho State Police confirmed around 7 p.m. that Ellie Coburn, 4, and Kaitlyn Coburn, 8, had died.

Officers say the series of events leading to the accident began while Devin Morgan, 18, of Sweet was northbound on the Sweet-Ola Highway in a 1991 Ford F-250 pickup. The irrigation pipe trailer he was towing became disconnected from the pickup and entered the southbound lanes of travel, investigators said.

Coburn, traveling southbound on the Sweet-Ola Highway in a 1997 Ford F-350, struck the pipe trailer as it entered his lane.

Authorities said Coburn was unable to maintain control of his vehicle and left the roadway, coming to a rest in the rushing waters of Squaw Creek. Coburn was pronounced dead at the scene.

Neither Morgan, nor his minor passenger, was injured. Police said it is unknown if Coburn or his three children were wearing seat belts. There is no indication at that alcohol or drugs were a factor, ISP reported.

The Idaho State Police and Gem County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the crash around 11:30 a.m. It occurred about one mile north of State Highway 52 on the Sweet-Ola Highway.

The crash is under investigation by Idaho State Police troopers with assistance from the Gem County Sheriff’s Office.

Residents of the close-knit community of Sweet, northeast of Emmett, knew David Coburn for construction work he did in the area and for the Coburn family’s involvement in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Neighbors told KTRV Fox 12 that Coburn’s fourth daughter and his wife, Emily, were notified and went racing to the scene.

BOISE - One man and two young girls are dead following a traffic accident near Sweet.

Police say David Coburn was traveling with his three daughters along the Sweet-Ola Highway when the accident happened around 11:30 Saturday morning.

The girls are identified as Ellie and Kaitlyn Coburn, aged 4 and 8.

The third daughter, Taylor, age 6, is in critical condition at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center.

Officers say the driver was rounding a corner in a Ford pickup when another Ford truck hauling an old trailer came from the opposite direction. The trailer came loose sending some pipes rolling. The pipes got under the family's Ford F-350.

The truck lost control and went down a 25-foot embankment, rolled and went into some deep creek water over the embankment.

UPDATE: Two children, father die in Gem County trailer accident

GEM COUNTY — An Emmett man and two daughters died in a freak traffic accident near Sweet today.

David Coburn, 38, and the two children suffered fatal injuries; the condition of a hospitalized third child is unknown.

Coburn's daughters were taken to hospitals for treatment after the crash, but Idaho State Police confirmed around 7 p.m. that Ellie Coburn, 4, and Kaitlyn Coburn, 8, had died.

Officers say the series of events leading to the accident began while Devin Morgan, 18, of Sweet was northbound on the Sweet-Ola Highway in a 1991 Ford F250 pickup. The irrigation pipe trailer he was towing became disconnected from the pickup and entered the southbound lanes of travel, investigators said.

Coburn, traveling southbound on the Sweet-Ola Highway in a 1997 Ford F350, struck the pipe trailer as it entered his lane.

Authorities said Coburn was unable to maintain control of his vehicle and left the roadway, coming to a rest in the rushing waters of Squaw Creek. Coburn was pronounced dead at the scene.

Neither Morgan, nor his minor passenger, was injured. Police said it is unknown if Coburn or his three children were wearing seat belts. There is no indication at that alcohol or drugs were a factor, ISP reported.

The Idaho State Police and Gem County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the crash around 11:30 a.m. It occurred about one mile north of State Highway 52 on the Sweet-Ola Highway.

The crash is under investigation by Idaho State Police troopers with assistance from the Gem County Sheriff’s Office.